Improvement in shafts for sleighs



c. Rocks; 0. BOCK, Improvement in Shafts for Sleighs.

Patented Sep. 5, IS?

witness:

C L V zwjz e M PATENT OFFIcE.

CHARLES BOOK AND DANIEL BOOK, OF DRUMS, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN SHAFTS FOR SLEIGHS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,682, datedSeptember 5, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES BOOK and DANIEL BOOK, of Drums, in thecounty of Luzerne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in One-Horse- Sleigh Shafts; and we do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of thisspecification.

The object of this invention is to so construct the shafts or thills ofone-horse sleighs or cutters that they will allow the horse to traveldirectly forward in the left-hand path of the snow-track, while therunners of the sleigh run free in the track and the body of the sleighkeeps in its proper position; and it consists in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a top view, and Fig. 2an under-side view of a pair of shafts constructed according to myinvention.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspond ing parts.

A is the right-hand shaft or thill, and B is the left-hand thill. Thethills or shafts are connected together by the cross-bar 0, made in twoparts. The forward part D is the are of a circle, fastened at the endsto each of the shafts, as seen at e 0. At the middle it is bolted to theother part F, as seen at g g. This part F extends from the right shaftto the center in a straight line, from whence it curves back and isfastened to the left shaft at h. I is the Whiffletree. J is a horizontalbar by which the shafts are attached to the sleigh. The right-hand shaftis curved downward to the bar J, which bar is dropped to the properpoint on the runner to allow of the proper application of power to thesleigh. Kis a bar curved like the end of the shaft A, extending from thecenter of the crossbar (J down to the bar J. LL are braces extendingfrom the lower end of the curved bar K to each of the shafts, where theends are fastened by the bolts 6 6. These braces are also fastened tothe part E of the cross-bar at the points m, m. 0 is a brace from theend of K to the end of E. The left shaft B is straight at its back end.Nrepresents plates of metal on the under sides of the shafts, and thecurved bar K covering and strengthening the connections. In Fig. 1 theshafts are represented as when attached to the sleigh.

By this arrangement the sleigh, as well as the horse, is enabled to moveforward naturally, while the former is protected by the projecting leftshaft. The construction and style are light and elegant, and the deviceobviates many objections to the old style of shafts.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. The shafts A B, double cross-bar O,draftbar J, and curr ed bar K, constructed and arranged togethersubstantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The short curved bar K, in combination with the shafts of a sleigh orcutter.

CHARLES BOOK. DANIEL 1300K.

Witnesses:

AUGUSTUS G. ROHRBAGH, HENRY W. ScHEIDY.

